


Origins

by bleibend (mari681)



Series: Blame and Revenge [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Not Canon Compliant, Not Epilogue Compliant, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-08-29 12:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8490646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mari681/pseuds/bleibend
Summary: "Magic is notoriously difficult to predict, just as the future is."And so is the past. Things happen in strange ways, and for  strange reasons.
AU from Order of the Phoenix





	1. Possibilities

**Author's Note:**

> It took me… four years? But this is the beginning of the AU for my one-shot ‘Blame’.  
> I am already starting on the next chapter. :)  
> This is set in the summer after Order of the Phoenix. Voldemort is considerably more sane – though not quite normal. No horocruxes. To account for the difference in times, Voldemort + cohorts were only five years ahead of the Marauders + Lilly  
> Rated T - may go up in later chapters.

It all began on a day like most other days. The only difference, perhaps, was that due to the high temperatures, Petunia  _really_ didn’t want her freak of a nephew working on the yard. Oh, no, not for his sake. But how would it look to the  _neighbors_ if he fainted away from heatstroke right in her front yard? So, instead, she shooed him up to the attic with a few rags for dust clothes, and an order to not come down until it was neat and organized.

Harry shook his head in mild disgust as he opened the trap door  and spider webs cascaded down on his head, but pushed his shoulders through the square opening anyways. Nothing much creeped him out after his not-brief-enough- encounter with Aragog second year. As he pulled himself through, Harry could immediately label the disused, dusty scent of the attic. But, it was much better than being stuck out in the heat all day, he thought to himself.

The title ‘attic’ was actually a misnomer. Oddly enough, the space looked to be nearly as big as the second floor of the house, only without the dividing walls. It was even tall enough for Harry to stand up straight, not that that was saying much, Harry thought with a huff.

It actually reminded him of the wizard-space tent the Weasleys  had for the world cup, but that was ridiculous. Harry laughed to himself at that thought, then looked around for a place to start.

He didn’t know why, but he was drawn to the furthest corner of the room, where a single wooden trunk sat. Obeying that pull, Harry sank to his knees in front of the trunk, and ran his fingers over the top, sweeping aside the dust.

Inscribed in the top was a simple ‘ _LJE’._

Harry knew what this was. His mothers’ school trunk, somehow tossed up here in this corner, and forgotten.

With held breath, he opened the trunk. He had expected a chaos of items – broken quills, old schoolbooks, perhaps a few pictures. Those were there, but everything was neatly organized. And, laying on top was a slightly yellowed envelope with a name on it. His name. In a hand that was obviously handwritten with a quill.

He gingerly pulled the envelope out, leaving the trunk open. Settling down a bit better on the wooden floor, Harry carefully opened the envelope, pulling out the letter inside. As he unfolded the paper, a ribbon of cream-colored silk fell out, tied around a lock of entwined black and auburn hair.

Harry, however, only had eyes for the letter.

> _My darling boy._
> 
> _You will hopefully never see this letter – in fact, I hope to have it torn up before you leave for Hogwarts,_ _much less before your 16_ _th_ _birthday._ _. But, needs must. And as I sit here, rocking your cradle with my foot, I find I am more uncertain of the future than I ever have been._
> 
> _Never doubt that I love you, for I do. You just came at an awfully_ _inconvenient_ _time for both your father and I, truth be told._ _He is becoming ever more obsessed with the war, and increasingly not himself._
> 
> _And there I go, rambling. Harry-love, if you do get this letter, then the worst has happened, and for whatever reason, you ended up with Petunia. As much as I hope that she has treated you well, I fear that she hasn’t done so much as told you a thing, and that Dumbledore has gotten his claws into you._
> 
> _All is not as it seems, and I beg you to keep an open mind._
> 
> _Dumbledore is the one who is hiding things. Tom – Voldemort, if he has kept that silly affection of his – is… Well, he isn’t_ an angel _by a long shot. But neither am I. But everything Tom has done has been in response to Dumbledore, I can promise you._
> 
> _Did you know Dumbledore wishes to integrate our world with the Muggles? Even now, I know that it wouldn’t work. Both the Muggles and Wizards are too violent, too prone to fits over anything that is different. I…_
> 
> _No, I don’t know what the state of things will when you get this. The war might be over. But, Harry? If there is a lock of hair in the letter, it is a port-key. Of sorts. Has anyone told you your mother is a right dab hand with spells? I played with it a bit. It will take you to what the magic in it considers a safe place. It could be to your father, or to one of your god-parents, I don’t know. Magic is notoriously difficult to predict, just as the future is. The key word is_ home _._
> 
> _Everything will be clear in time. I love you, and so does your father, and we always will._
> 
>  

As Harry finished reading, he softly murmured the word ‘home’, not realizing that the hair had fallen into his lap.  With a familiar hook to his navel, he was whisked away in a whirl of color and sound.

When the world materialized around him, he landed with a plop on something soft and fluffy. As soon as he steadied, Harry looked around, letter fallen out of his hands onto his lap. What new trouble had he gotten himself into? His eyes widened as he saw that he was sitting on a widow seat, in a room that was obviously meant to be bright and sunny, but was dark, with the curtain pulled, and a smell of disuse. It was a nursery. A crib sat along the opposite wall from the window next to a door, with a desk along the wall perpendicular to it. A desk that looked as if someone had left in a hurry. The inkwell was tipped over, a dried puddle of ink spilled over parchment and discarded quills. Drawers were pulled out, and envelopes scattered on the floor under. 

The corner between the desk and the window had a cushioned rocking chair, with a small bassinet, low to the floor for rocking with a foot beside it. And on the floor beside the bassinet was a carelessly discarded lap desk, with a quill poking out from under it.

And along the free wall, beside a set of double-doors was a toy chest, with plushies and other assorted toys sticking out from under the lid.

Harry slowly stood up from the window seat, and walked over to the desk, straightening some of the papers. That… That was the same handwriting as his letter.

Was this… Had this been  _his_ nursery? 

Before Harry could consider that thought further, he heard footsteps outside the room, coming closer to the door the crib was next to.

Without any other options, Harry lunged for the double-doors, hoping that they led to a closet.

They didn’t. But what they led to was nearly as good, a bedroom, drenched in the same smell of disuse that the nursery was.  Harry didn’t waste time looking around, merely closed the doors behind him, and darted under the bed, watching out from under.

He heard the door of the nursery open, and heavy, hesitant footsteps walk in.

And a hissing sound that made him go cold, and his mothers’ letter echoed in his mind. Was  _that_ the truth? Why he could understand Parseltongue? Was  _Voldemort_ his father?

He forcibly shut down his thoughts, as he listened into the conversation.

_**Nagini, you fool.**_ There was a lengthy sigh.  _**Why would anyone be in this room?**_

Harry could just imagine the snakes’ tongue flickering out before she responded.  _**Smells like you, Master, but younger. Warmer. Nestling.**_

The footsteps crossed the room as  _he_ kept speaking.  _**Nagini, there hasn’t been a soul in here since...**_

The voice trailed off, and Harry winced, the letter floating back into his mind. Did he drop it?

But then the voice started again, as the legs of the desk chair screeched across the wooden floor.  _** Since Lilly left me.**_ The voice had turned rather cold, and the sound of papers rustling could be heard.  _**Left me for the light, and took my best lieutenants with her, damn her.**_

Harry cocked his head at that. The letter didn’t say anything about  _that_ . In fact, it sounded almost as if his mother hadn’t trusted Dumbledore. And... 'lieutenants'? Who...?  


_**But, Master.**_ And the snake sounded as if it was getting closer to the doors.  _**There is someone nearby.**_

The desk drawers shut with a bang.  _**Nagini! That is quite enough. I am done humo...**_

Harry scooted further under the bed as the voice trailed off.

_**_ _Lilly, what did you do?**_ The voice asked, as if it was in shock, and Harry could hear the crinkling of paper slow down, as if the man was actually reading something.

It was a good ten minutes of silence and rustling paper, before the man spoke again. _**Nagini, fetch.**_

Fetch what? Harry thought, letting his mind dwell on that. A piece of paper? A quill? Anyways, what could a snake fetch?

He was so caught up in his musings that he didn’t notice the creaking of the double doors until it was too late. The snake had his arms wrapped in her coils, and was dragging him into the other room, surprisingly stron.

As he looked up, though, the man – Tom, Voldemort, whomever, didn’t look angry. He just looked – sad?

“So, Boy. What are you doing here?” There was none of the usual venom in Toms’ voice. “Why would you come to my lair, alone?”

Harry gathered up his courage, and as the snake unwrapped him, sat up. “So, is it true?”

“Is what true?” If Harry didn’t know better, Harry would have taken that tone of voice for pure disinterest. But he did know better. And perhaps he was naive, but anyone that had sounded that heartbroken, anyone who had kept a nursery of a lost child undisturbed, couldn’t be that terrible.

And he switched to Parseltongue. _**Are you my father?**_

Toms’ eyes widened. _**I… I believe that I am, yes.**_

Harry nodded sharply, and uttered words that he never thought he would say. “Good. Then you will let me go back.”

He saw the way that Tom bit his lip. But Tom nodded. “Fine. Yes. I will lower the wards so you can apparate out.” he paused for a second. “Oh. No, you aren't old enough. Of course. I will make you a portkey.”

“Gringotts, then, please.” Harry said, careful not to shatter the facade of civility.

Toms’ eyes narrowed at that, but he nodded once more, and bent to pick up a loose square of paper, eyes not leaving Harry.

He looked at the paper for a moment, concentrating, before gingerly handing it to Harry.

“Key is ‘Gringotts’.” Then he paused, before continuing, voice slightly strained. “And to come back is ‘Nursery’.”

Harry refrained from commenting on the word choice, before uttering one word. “Gringotts.”

And that hook in his navel took him away, but not before he saw Tom slouch in the chair, eyes closed.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry stumbled as the portkey deposited him on solid ground. As soon as he looked up, he knew where he was. The portkey had deposited him in an alley just off Diagon, right next to the bank.

Conscious of his muggle-style clothes, Harry kept his head ducked, and kept to the wall as closely as he could. As he slipped into the bank, he was surprised when a goblin immediately came up to him.

“Potter? We’ve been waiting. Why haven’t you answered any of our correspondence?”

Harry blinked. “I haven’t received any letters at all this summer. I’m sorry?” What else could he say? He hadn’t even gotten letters from his friends yet.

The goblin grumbled something under his breath, then spoke up. “Well, follow me.” And he turned on his heel, expecting the wizard to follow him.

For such a short creature, the goblin was surprisingly fast. It was all Harry could do to keep up. Finally, they came to a door with a plaque on it, and the goblin came to a stop. “Ragnok will see you.” He said, rather briskly, and turned to leave, leaving Harry to stand in front of the door.

Taking a deep breath, Harry opened the door.

It was a small office, or so Harry thought. No other doors or windows, just a rather dull-looking room. There was a desk and two chairs, one behind, and one in front of the desk. In the one behind the desk, sat a goblin.

“So,” the goblin sneered, chin resting on steepled hands. “The prodigal son finally graces us with his presence.”

Harry stepped into the office, and shut the door behind him before replying. “What do you mean?” He rested a hand of the back of the free chair, not quite daring to sit down. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ragnok, but I simply do not understand.”

The goblin – Ragnok – started to laugh. The laugh of a goblin is an odd thing, quite frightening if you’ve never heard it before. It somehow sounds like the clinking of gold coins and the clashing of swords at the same time – which is likely why wizards are usually so unnerved by it. “Do you wizards ever understand? No, you don’t.” Ragnok shook his head slightly, before sobering up. “Your grandparents were good customers, very good. Which is why we attempted to contact you when we could as dictated by the laws we are held under.”

“My grandparents? But how could they be good customers when they only have one vault.” Harry sat down in the chair, if only so he didn’t have to look down at the goblin. 

“No, no, boy.” Ragnok snapped. “That is only your Trust Vault, and from the Potters’, as well.” he smirked, a grin full of teeth. “I am talking about the  _Evans_ ’.”

Harry didn’t know what to say. Between the shock of earlier that day, and now this, he just didn’t know what to expect. What next, was he the long lost heir of Merlin or something?

“Oh, no, Mr. Potter.” the goblin laughed again, “Merlin is a myth, I’m afraid. A name for something most wizards refuse to acknowledge, for Magic herself.” then he pulled open a drawer, and retrieved a scroll and a small dagger from it. Ragnok laid both items on the desk, and pushed them towards Harry. “First things first, though. Must follow procedures, even if they are unneeded in this case. This is a potion laced dagger. The Heredity potion on the edge will taint a slash in a way that when blood is dripped onto plain parchment, it will show us what we need.”

And, of course, he said that last out loud. Harry ignored Ragnoks’ first comment, but nodded as he reached for the dagger and parchment to show that he understood. “Do I need to unroll the scroll?” he asked.

“No. Just drip blood on it, and it will unroll when the spell takes.”

“Very well.” In a move without any hesitation, Harry drew the blade across his palm in one smooth motion. Or, he tried to. As the pain hit and stung, he couldn’t help the flinch and dug the knife in a bit deep. He pulled it away quickly, but it had already left a jagged mark across his palm.

Harry gritted his teeth, and clenched his hand, moving it over the scroll so the blood dripped down on it.

Face a bit approving, Ragnok offered a narrow roll of fabric. “Here, boy.” he said gruffly. “So you don’t drip blood all over my office.”

Then, his eyes narrowed as the parchment started to unroll. Before Harry could even see one word, the goblin grabbed it, reading it as it spooled down the floor.

Ragnok nodded satisfactorily as the scroll stilled. “Just as I thought, though I dare say there will be some surprises in store for you.” Then he rolled it back up, and handed it back to Harry. “Take your time. It is more important that you understand everything.” And he leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling in thought.

Harry eyed Ragnok, but turned to the scroll. And he wished he hadn’t.

 

_Hadrian_ _Cyrius Riddle_

_Born of Lillith Reignolda Evans and Thomas Marvolo Riddle_

_Godchild bond with Remus John Lupin and Sirius Orion Black_

_Vampire and_ _N_ _aga blooded wizard, inheritance inactive_

_Gift of parseltongue through paternal line_

_Gift of shifting through maternal line_

 

_True Mate through creature inheritance, when activated_

 

_Blood Heir to Evans and Riddle lines_

_Assigned Heir to_ _Black and Potter lines_

 

_Hogwarts Trust Vault_

_Evans Heir Vault_

_Potter Heir Vault_

_Black Heir Vault –_ _access_ _limited_

_Riddle Heir Vault –_ _access_ _limited_

_Black_ _Main_ _Vault –_ _restricted_

_Evans_ _Main_ _Vault –_ _restricted_

_Potter_ _Main_ _Vault –_ _restricted_

_Riddle_ _Main_ _Vault –_ _restricted_

 

_See Gringott_

_Files for properties attached to bloodlines_

 

Harry looked up as he finished reading, and caught Ragnok looking at him with an odd look in his eyes.

Ragnok spoke before Harry could. “Well, do you understand everything?”

“No, I don’t.” Harry spoke honestly, not seeing any reason to hide. “I… knew of my parents. But I thought that my mother was a muggle-born.”

“Creature-born, you might say, and to most wizards, that is worse.” Ragnok spit under his desk in disgust at the thought of wizard stupidity. 

“My Aun...”

“No, I don’t know why she never told you, but I can say that while one Petunia Delphine Evans was a naga, and a witch as well, as all in the Evans line tend to be, she never attended Hogwarts, nor trained in her powers.” Ragnok shook his head. “Such a waste.” then he continued. “And the vampire should be obvious.”

“It is.” Harry nodded. “And the vaults?”

“You have full access to the vaults set aside for the heir if you are the last of that line. For the others...” Ragnok took the scroll, and looked at it closer. “That might require some looking into on our part. Wizarding families tend to keep a tight rein on the dependents. Any vault that has limited access, you have to have either verbal or written permission to remove an item or gold from that vault. As Lord Black is dead, it seems that there is a Black higher on the chain of succession than you that is still alive.” then he set the scroll aside. “And wizarding families never give children access to the main vaults until the age of majority.  Simple.”

Harry kept silent for a few minutes. Then he spoke. “Ragnok, is there any way Gringotts can keep me informed about the Black family? I would… like to know.”

“Of course.” Ragnok agreed with a nod. Then he looked across the room to the clock on the wall. “I have to cut our meeting off. If you have any questions, send an owl to Gringotts, care of Ragnok.” he paused for a second, and his voice softened a miniscule amount. “Do you have somewhere to go?”

Harry fingered the square of paper that he had kept in his pocket, before he sighed. “Yes, thank you. May I portkey from here?”

Ragnok nodded without hesitation. “You may. Never in, and only out if you haven’t stolen anything. Goblin wards are more intricate than wizard.”

Harry stood up, and bowed to Ragnok. “Thank you very much.” then he pulled the paper out of his pocket, and uttered one word. “ Nursery .”

As soon as the human was gone – and he was still human until his seventeenth year, Ragnok let out a sigh. This would be complicated. An Evans? In this political atmosphere? The world was going to be tossed into chaos. The boys’ mother had been raised as a naga, and had been a known quality to the world, wizards and creatures alike. But the Potter name had protected the youngling up until now, and he had been raised as a muggle.

Standing up, Ragnok crossed the room to a hidden door opposite the desk.  He’d have to tell the creature council. An Evans was sure to present as a naga, and the last thing anyone needed was an untrained naga youngling running amok.  And if any of the vampire bled throug h... Goddess forbid.

~~~

The moment Harry  _his Harry_ vanished from the room, Tom slouched in his chair.  Nagini slithered onto his lap. 

**Are you not  _happy_ , master?** 

**No, Nagini.** Tom sighed, **I may not see him again.**

With the cold confidence that snakes tend to have, Nagini raised her head and looked Tom in the eyes. “He is just a nestling without anywhere else to go. He will come back, or he will die.” she slithered off Toms’ lap, back to the floor. **If you are going to fret over a nestling, I’m going to go hunt a rat.**

Naginis’ last sentence registered just as she left the room. Tom hissed after her, out of habit, **Don’t kill him.**, even though he knew she wouldn’t. Nagini like the chase too much. After all, most rats were rather stupid to her. But Pettigrew was smart enough to try to evade her. Try being the key word.

All he heard was the hissing sound that was the version of a laugh. A long, low hissing without words.

Tom stood up, and looked around the room. And saw it, for the first time in almost sixteen years. Lilly would  _bite_ him if she could see this room. And not in a fun way, either. She hadn’t been much of one for decorating, his Lilly, and she hated wasted work. He crossed to the window and opened the curtains, coughing a little as dust flew up.  Then Tom turned around. Hmm…

In thirty minutes time, he was certain that Harry wouldn’t recognize the room from the slight look he had. And just in time, too, because Tom felt the wards twinge as the portkey brought Harry back.

Automatically, Tom reached out with both arms. If Harry was anything like Lilly, he would be stumbling right about… now.

And he was. Tom set Harry upright, refraining from sudden movements. “You… are back?”

“ Well, yes. Where else would I go?” Harry almost snapped the last, patience definitely wearing a bit thin, almost echoing Naginis’ earlier comment.

Tension went out of Toms’ shoulders at that. “Well, you may use this room for as long as you stay.”

~~~

Harry was tired enough that when he landed to arms steadying him,  he didn’t jerk away. It was nice, for once, to have someone watching out for him. But the question was just too much. And so he didn’t guard his tongue at  _all_ . 

He looked around at the offer, and was pleasantly shocked. It was like a whole new room. Oh, furniture was arranged the same. But there was a four-poster bed with the headboard where the crib used to sit. The toy box was replaced by a small chaise lounge with a few throw pillows. The double doors were replaced by a single door, and there was a door beside the bed.

The biggest change was that he could actually see the color of the paint, because the window was thrown wide open, and the curtains were tied back.

Instead of the expected silver and green, or dark colors, the room was done up rather tastefully in creams and pale blues. It felt… comfortable.

Harry finally turned back to Tom. “Thank you.” he sighed, and ran a hand through his head. “Can we talk tomorrow? I… I need to think.”

“Very well.” Tom nodded, and turned to go, but turned back. “If you need anything, call for  Triste. He is one of my house-elves.”

Harry watched in silence as Tom left through what had been double doors, then fell back onto the bed.

It was… amazing how quickly things had changed. And a bit scary. He wasn’t who he had always thought he was.

Bugger.

What would Dumbledore say.

Wait.

Did Dumbledore  _know_ ?

The conversation between Tom and Nagini floated through Harrys’ thoughts.

_Left me for the light, and took my best lieutenants with her, damn her._

What did  _that_ mean?

Rolling over, Harry buried his head in the pile of pillows. He didn’t want to know.

_ But he had to find out, didn’t he? Too many questions. _

Harry rolled back over, and sat upright. “Triste?” he called, hesitantly.

There was the usual pop of a house elf, but what Harry wasn’t expecting was being knocked over by a bundle of over excited elf.

“Triste is so so so happy to see little Master. Triste watched little master when Mistress Lilly was busy, yes Triste did. And little master is all grown up! Oh, Triste missed much. What can Triste do for little master?”

Harry took a deep breath. “Can you let me up, please?”

“Oh, little master is so polite! Yes, Triste will let little master up, yes Triste will.” And the elf rolled off the bed, landing on its’ feet. “What did little master need?”

Harry sat up, and blinked at the elf. Triste reminded him of Dobby. “Call me Harry? And, is there a loo near this room?”

“Triste will do that, yes. And there is one right through that door.” the elf pointed to the door next to the bed. “Does master Hadrian need anything else?”

Harry opened his mouth, then closed it again before speaking. “Thank you, Triste. That is all for now.”

The elf popped out with a smile on its’ face.

Harry just shook his head before getting up to explore.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I reset my computer - and forgot that I hadn't synced onedrive in a while. oops... Luckily, I hadn't even started on the next chapter. *whew*.
> 
> Just a warning before we get much further - this will be slash. I do have a pairing in mind. It kinda sorta just clicked. It won't be explicit, but it will be there, eventually. I hope nobody minds terribly.
> 
> And the creature blood – Harrys’, at least, will not come into play until the next installment, when he is 17. Well, not much. There are certain... instincts that bleed over. And certain exceptions. But I’m not planning on it. For those with creature blood, not everything is black & white.

Ragnok sat at his desk, tapping the tip of his quill against the wood surface. How... His chair screeched as he stood up to pace the small room.

The trouble wasn't the Council itself. It was the situation. Gringotts - and the goblins were sure to be blamed for not making sure the Evans heir was raised properly.

Most on the council, though, were the older creatures.The ones that didn't have anything to do with the wizarding world itself. Oh, there were a few younger, more liberal ones sitting on the council. But their voices were sure to be drowned out by the conservatives.

And the Goblin Nation had been reprimanded before. As the race with the most contact with wizards, more was expected of them. What most of the council didn't realize, though, was that the Goblins had numerous pacts with the wizarding world in general that they simply  _could not break_ . Oh, they could bend them, and find loopholes in them. But outright break? Never.

Then, with a sigh, Ragnok crumpled up the paper on the desk. They would be blamed anyways, so why not leave the council find out about the boy on their own? Surely the boys' father would write to the council for help.

~~~

Tom woke up with the sun, and reached for the wards as usual. Then he sat up in a bolt. The unexpected magic signature in them caused hi m to suddenly remember the events of the previous day.

Harry.

His  _son_ .

He was here. To stay.

~~~

Harry made his way down to the kitchen he had found in his sleepless night wanderings. At the least, there was sure to be a house elf or two around.

He stopped in the doorway. That... wasn't what he had expected. In fact, it was probably the last thing anyone would expect.

Lord Voldemort was making  _pancakes_ , of all things.

Well, to be precise, it looked like pancakes and eggs and bacon and tea. But,  _pancakes_ . Of all things.

And  _why_ ?

Harry peeked around the doorway. No, there wasn’t anyone else in the kitchen. 

He walked in cautiously, rapping his knuckles against the doorway as he went through it.

Riddle –  _Tom_ – turned around, and smiled. Honest-to-merlin smiled. Not a smirk, or anything else, but a  _smile_ . “So, you are awake.”

“ Why are you being so nice?” Harry asked, rather bluntly. “ I expected a crucio, not...” and he gestured widely, encompassing both Tom and the stove. “Not  _this_ .”

Tom sighed. “You are my son. It is as simple as that.”

“Really?”

~~~

He heard the footsteps coming down the stairs, but Tom didn’t turn. Instead, he kept his attention fixed on the stove. He didn’t cook much, not since... But he still rememered  _how_ to cook. And what better reason than for his own blood? After all, in merely a year, Harry wouldn’t get any pleasure out of food, not with the same vampire blood running through hi s veins  that ran through Tom  himself.

As he answered the cautious question, Tom couldn’t help a sigh.  _This_ was what he had against muggles and muggle-borns. Not their blood, but their lack of thought for the wizarding world. Very few students born from muggles understood wizarding customs _, much less_ creature customs, even after graduating Hogwarts.

“Yes, really.” he turned back to the stove, casting a stasis charm on the food. Then he sat down. “ You’ll understand when you come into your vampire.” Immediately after he let the words out of his mouth, he realized that they were a mistake, from the glower that Harry sent his way. But it was too late.

“I’ll understand?” Harry hissed, the syllables not quite lasping into parseltongue. “ _How_ , when no one is willing to tell me  _anything?_ ” He slammed his hands down on the table, leaning on them. “All I  _know_ is that I’m even more of a  _freak_ !”

That made Tom frown. Surely... “W hat imbicille told you  _that_ ?” Even he could tell that last came out colder than he meant, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that.  Surely the boy would be able to tell that it wasn’t aimed at him. 

~~~

Harry tensed at the familiar coldness in the voice, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists. “My  _lovely_ relatives, father dearest.” he sneered, words meant to hurt. “ Just think, you missed out of sixteen years which you could have used to torture me to your hearts’ content.”

He turned on his heels and stalked out, shoulders tensed in anticipation of the curse that never came his way.

Harry wasn’t paying attention to where he was going, only wishing to be somewhere else, until he actually left the manor itself. It had to be a back entrance he found, because the door that he took led only to a garden enclosed by fencing. It was a rather large and very run down garden, but – after listening to Neville – he could see the little touches that said it was once well loved.

Almost as soon as he stepped into the garden proper and heard the gurgling of what had to be a brook somewhere under the overgrown and tangled foliage, he felt the tension flow out of him almost as if he had been hit by a cheering charm. In fact, he was suspicious enough the he turned around and looked behind him, but there was only him in the garden.

“Triste!”

“Master Hadrian called?” asked Triste, once she popped in. Then the little house elf looked around, and her ears perked up. “Oh, Master Hadrian found Mistress Lillys’ garden! Triste will fetch tools for Master Hadrian.”

“I...” Harry started, but the excitable thing had popped out before he could get a word in edgewise.

She popped back in,  a burlap bag hovering behind her. She let it gently to the ground. “Triste will leave Master Hadrian in peace.” And she popped out without another word.

Harry looked between the bag of tools and the garden, then rolled up his sleeves. Well, it wasn’t like he had anything else to do, now was it?

This would at least keep him busy for bit. And out of Riddles’ way.

~~~

Tom froze at the sheer amount of venom in the boys’ voice. It was all too familiar. His Lilly had  _such_ a temper on her. He sat for a few minutes, thinking about the fights he had with Lilly.

His eyes widened then. G _oddess_ blast it all. He realized what had been bugging him since the boy first appeared in the nursery. He didn’t have vampire blood.

Or, rather, not enough to trigger the inheritance. Not enough to shift his scent towards Toms’. No, the boy smelled  _just_ like his mother.

A bloody  _naga_ .

He would need reinforcements, then. But who? It couldn’t be someone who Hadrian felt animosity towards already – that would just trigger the naga inctincts that had a tendency to flare up even before an inheritance activated.

Some of the worst disasters in the past had been caused by nagas pushed to the breaking point – and those were mature nagas, with a control of their powers. But a newly (or not yet) emerged naga? It didn’t even bare thinking on.

Tom stood up. “Triste.” he called, and didn’t even wait for the house elf to speak after she popped in. “Clean up the kitchen, would you? I need to write a letter.”

The elf nodded. “Yes, Master. The Little Master found Mistress Lillys’ garden, and is tending to it.”

He nodded in acknowledgement, mind working as he left the room, and headed to his study.

Another Naga would be best, but he only knew of one personally. And that one had left England for good, after Lilly left, and his vampire had went feral – and they hadn’t parted on the best on terms.

But, well, perhaps the lure of a new naga would be enough. A nd a promise that he wouldn’t punish the idiot for the comments he had made before leaving.

~~~

Tom looked around the open door, then backed away quietly. He had meant to tell Harry about the possible visitor, but... He would try to make amends later, when the boy wasn’t completely enthralled in what he was doing.

It did please him – though it was a bittersweet pleasure – to see the garden in use once more. Lillys’ hand had been the last to touch it, while she was pregnant with Harry himself. And, after... Well, she had been too wrapped up in Harry, the short time that she had stayed.

And if that hadn’t been a warning sign... But he had been just as wrapped up in the war. He hadn’t even been in the room when Lilly gave birth – no, it was _that_ man. His spy, for a short time. James Potter. And, at the time, he had been glad to miss the hexes and curses that Lilly had hurled. But...

And Tom paused, his feet having taken him to what had been  _ their  _ room. After that, Lilly hadn’t been the same. Too silent, demure even. She had barely said a word to him.

Looking back, there had been plenty of signs.

Looking back, he had just been too caught up to pay attention.

He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

No, he wouldn’t.

~~~

Harry didn’t realize how late it was getting to be until the light started to fade. Looking up from the weeding he was doing, he realized that he was hungry. Not that it was any surprise. The only thing he had eaten all day was...

Well. He hadn’t eaten at all.

Not like _that_ was anything new.

With a sigh, he stood up. Time to go play nice. It was true, he really didn’t have anywhere else to go. Definitely not the Dursleys. And anywhere else, Dumbledore would find him, and be a bother.

He hadn’t quite sorted out his feelings for the twinkle-eyed old coot, but he was sure that he didn’t want to be near him at the moment.

When his choices were compared like _that_ , Voldemort was the least of terrible choices.

~~~

When Harry made his way into the dining room, Tom couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Did the boy have no manners? He was covered in _dirt_.

Oh. No, probably not. He was raised by muggles. Or close enough, it seemed.

Tom chose to not comment on the state of his clothing. Keep the peace, and all that. “I had the elfs make a roast.”

Harry took the nearest chair to the doorway – which, Tom noticed, just happened to be the furthest away from him. “Anything.”

He took a deep breath. “Fine.”

They ate in silence for a while, Tom playing with his serving while Harry ate, his face staring at the plate the entire time.

Finally, Tom couldn’t take the silence. “How was your day?” he asked. Wasn’t that small talk?

~~~

Harry looked up at the unexpected question. “Do you really care?” he blurted out, before wincing and clapping his hands over his mouth. Slowly he removed them, and looked back down. “I’m sorry. Ignore me.”

“No.”

“What?” Harry looked up, starting to get a tad bit annoyed. “What do you mean?”

Tom held up a hand, palm down. “No, I won’t ignore you.” he shook his head slightly. “I do care.”

Harry paused, outright staring. Did he take the risk? The risk of caring?

No. It would be too easy to get hurt.

“It was fine.” Harry pushed away from the table. “May I be excused?”

~~~

Harrys’ so called family had really did a number on him, Tom mused. Then hid asigh. And whose fault was that?

He nodded. “You may.”

He didn’t say anything else as Harry left the room, only pushing his plate away when Harry was completely gone. He leaned back in his chair, thinking. _How_ was he going to get Harry to open up?

As much as it irked him to even _think_ it, Tom might have to wait for reinforcements.

~~~

The  dark haired man opened the window to let the owl in, curious as to who would be owling him. He had pretty much severed all ties to the wizarding world, only keeping his wand out a sense of... duty, perhaps. It was a family heirloom, after all. And one of the only links he had to his family.

 

> _I have a job for you. There is a youngling who is likely to present as naga. He does not trust me_ _entirely_ _, and has every right._
> 
> _Voldemort_

 

He smirked at the letter. So, the prat wanted him back? After he tried to take a  _bite_ out of him? Just for saying that, perhaps, Sirius had the right idea in leaving, if  _Tom_ was going to go half crazy over Lilly  leaving . Or, it might have been his comment wondering just what Tom had did to make Lilly leave him like that. Or one of numerous other snarky remarks.

He was about ready to toss the letter into the fireplace, but then he reread it.

_No._

He could not let another youngling have an experience like his. Nagas weren’t solitary creatures as a rule. And while he did have his family for the inheritance, it wasn’t the same – and they hadn’t been prepared at  _all._ Everyone thought that the  family blood had been diluted too much for  _any_ creature inheritances, much less a Naga.

With a sigh, he picked up his pen – but took an inordinate amount of satisfaction in writing on a plan piece of lined notebook paper.

 

> _Tom_
> 
> _I will come, but not for your sake. You are still a prat._
> 
> _And how on earth did you come across a youngling? Did you steal a child from some poor witch? Or did you suck someone dry on accident, finally._
> 
> _Open the wards for me – I will floo in within three days time._

 

He attached the paper to the owls’ wing with a smirk, wishing he could be a fly on the wall when Tom read  _that_ reply.  Oh, the sparks would fly.

~~~  
Tom crumbled the paper with a snarl, and tossed it in the fireplace. That bloody fool. They would never get along, but he supposed that he could be civil for Harrys’ sake.

After all, it had been four days, and Harry was still acting like an abused church mous...

_Wait_.

No.

Everything added up. The testing of boundaries, the unexplained skittishness, the _freak_ comment.

Those _Dursleys’_ would be dead. But not too quickly. Oh, no. They would suffer.

He stopped mid-rage as Harry poked his head around the door, and pasted a fake smile on his face. “Yes, Harry?”

Harry bit his lip. “I need help with a summer essay.”

Inwardly, Tom was jumping with joy, but he was proud of himself when he managed to speak in an even tone. “Very well. What subject is it?”

Harry came fully into the room. “Transfiguration.” he leaned against the wall, posed to leave if needed. “McGonagall assigned three feet on the animagus transfiguration, but I don’t know where to start.”

“I can teach you the animagus spell,” Tom blurted out before he could think better of it, but he continued. “And you can use that as the base, hmmm?”

Harry glanced at the doorway as if he wanted to escape, but nodded. “Thanks.” he turned to leave, but then turned back around. “I’ll see you at breakfast?”

Tom just nodded. There wasn’t much else he could do, not with the way Harry rushed out after he blurted that last sentence. Question?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight change to cannon – whats one more in an AU? Regulus is the older brother, and was in Toms year. When he dissapeared, the heir- and later lord- ship passed to Sirius as the only possible heir. In spite of him being a Gryffindor.

As he listened to the other goblin, Ragnok let his jaw drop for just a millisecond, before slamming his mouth closed. What was that muggle curse… May you live in interesting times? Well, it was definitely a curse.

“How did Gringotts not know of this?” he growled, not bothering to hide his ire. “The Blacks were one of our best customers, and we thought their line to be extinct.”

The other goblin cringed, inching away from Ragnok. “He never came to withdraw any funds, not within the first ten years after he was last seen. According to protocol, we de...”

“Declared him dead after ten. Yes, yes, I know.” Ragnok hissed. “Show him in.”

Ragnok took the few minutes he had to compose himself, before the door opened. “Heir Black.” was all he said, as the black-haired man came striding in.

“’Ullo again, Ragnok. Long time no see.” came the mans’ light greeting, as he slouched into the chair in front of the desk.

“Over ten years, Regulus Black.” Ragnok sighed, and rubbed at his forehead. “You know our regulations just as well as any other pureblood.” he paused, then glared at the man. “ _Why_ did you not let us know you were alive?”

The man straightened up in his chair, grey eyes going silver. “I never expected to come back.” then he shook his head. “Now, shall we get down to business? I hear my brother named some brat of a boy his heir?”

The eyes reminded Ragnok of just who he was dealing with – not just the rebellious boy he had known. And he bit back a smirk. Oh, he knew why Black came back. “Yes, a Harry Potter by name.”

Regulus jolted at the name. “Potter?”

“Did you not read the news?” sniped Ragnok. “He was your brothers’ godson.”

“But...” Regulus trailed off, before continuing. “Never mind.  I didn’t come to take the lordship, Ragnok. I want nothing to do with the Black name.”

Ragnok tapped his quill on the desk, but smiled, a toothy smile. “Well, that makes it easy. Did you have anything else  you needed , Black?”

~ ~~

Tom wanted to kill the boy. A slow, painful death.  But, he reminded himself as he took a deep breath, that was the opposite of what he really wanted.

Even if the brat acted out more the more comfortable he became.

It had been nearly a week, and Tom was still waiting for his ‘reinforcements’ to arrive.  A week in which, buoyed by the lack of curses, and a lack of punishments in general, Harry was acting his age.

First, it had been the animagus lessons. Then the novelty of those wore off, especially when Harry achieved his full shift-shape of a black mamba in two days. That, if nothing else, convinced Tom that the boy would present as a naga in a year. A shift that quick was no animagus transformation, it had to be from the naga blood.

Then, he had given Harry full r u n of the manor, hoping that  _something_ would keep the boy entertained. After all, what did he know of raising a teenager?

Nothing, apparently. In the last three days, Tom had learned that, if nothing else.

He glared at his reflection in the mirror once more, before leaving the bathroom grumbling to himself. At least he could apply a glamour to hide the pink hair.

~~~

Harry sniggered quietly, hidden under the invisibility cloak.

He was _bored_. There wasn’t anything to do, and nobody to talk to other than Tom and the house elfs. And, just his luck, his friends hadn’t sent anything by owl. He hadn’t seen Hedwig at all, having left her with Hermione for safe-keeping during the summer.

To repeat, he was bored.

That was why, when he heard the flare of the floo flaming up, he let his curiosity get the better of him.

Still covered by his cloak, Harry hurried to the receiving room, only to catch the tail end of a conversation as he reached the door.

And not a civil one, at that. Toms’ voice was the coldest he had heard since summer started. The other voice, male and oddly familiar, sounded amused, but was so stilted, it was anything but.

Harry backed away from the door just in time to avoid being squished as it swung open.

Tom came stalking out, with a dark-haired man following him, outright laughing.

~~~

“Pink?” the man barked, as he finally caught his breath. “ _That’s_ what you were hiding under that glamour?” he shook his head. “Really, Tommy-boy? You couldn’t avoid a _simple_ prank?”

“Shut it before I crucio you, Black.” Tom grumbled. “ _You_ try entertaining a bored teenager.” He paused as if thinking, then smirked at Regulus. “Oh, wait. You _will_ be.”

Regulus shrugged. “It can’t be that hard”

“Famous last words.” Tom warned, before cocking his head sightly, and looking at the spot where the door joined the frame. “Come on out, Harry. I heard you.”

~~~

Harry couldn’t help the gasp he let out when he saw the mans’ eyes, but then took a closer look. The man could almost be Sirius’ twin, but… He didn’t have any of the darkness that lurked in Sirius’ eyes.

He sighed as Tom revealed his presence, and slipped the cloak off his shoulders. “A visitor, Tom?” Harry tried to hide his interest, but his eyes kept slipping back to the new person. “Were you hearted trying to hide him from me?”

Harry _felt_ , more than saw the mans’ eyes look him up and down before they dismissed him and turned to Tom.

**Are you running an orphanage now, Tommy?** the man hissed. **Where is the nestling?**

Tom grinned, pointing to Harry. Harry winced. **Did living with the muggles dampen your senses?**

Harry froze as the man moved in closer and _sniffed_ him.

His frozen state only lasted a minute,and when he gained control over his body, he stepped back, pushing the man away at the same time.

He huffed as the man staggered back, nearly losing his balance. **What the _bloody hell_ are you doing?** Harrys’ hiss was as sharp as a hiss could be.

Tom laughed, and switched to english. “Hadrian, my boy. This is Regulus Black. Black, this is Hadrian, my _son_.” Then he turned to Harry, and Harry almost felt sorry for Regulus. Almost. “Harry, Black here will be your _tutor_ until Hogwarts until Hogwarts’.”

~~~

Regulus gaped as the boy – no, nestling – pushed him back. And as he spoke in parsel. Tommy had a _son_. How…? Had the cold-hearted bastard gotten over Lilly? And how on earth did a _vampire_ have a naga son?

He looked at the boy again. Then it clicked, and Regulus felt like an idiot.

He reached out to the boy, lifting his chin up. **You have your mothers’ eyes, Hadrian.**

He was even more surprised than before when Hadrian slapped his hand away and glared at him.

** _ What _ are you doing? Don’t touch me.**

**I…** Regulus turned to Tom, absolutely confused.  But… The nestling should be reaching for  contact , not pushing it away, if any of the inheritance was breaking through. And the parsel was a sure sign his Naga was pushing. Then Regulus shook his head, amd turned back to Hadrian. No, he would get down to bottom of this pit without help from the bastard. **Hadrian. Please forgive me. I should have asked permission first.

Hadrian nodded warily, but sidestepped so as to put Tom between him and the Black idiot. “ Very well.” then he cocked his head. “Who, exactly, are you?”

Regulus grinned, and bowed briefly. “Why, Regulus Arcturus Black, at your service.”

When he looked up, he didn’t expect to see the nestling staring rather blankly at him.

“Any relation to Sirius Black?” was all Hadrian  asked.

“My little brother.” Regulus replied, not seeing any reason to hide it.

He remembered just as Hadrian turned and stalked off. Bugger. His prat of a brother was the nestlings godfather.  His prat of a brother that got himself tossed into Azkaban for no reason.

~~~

Tom managed to hold in his laughter until Harry was out of hearing. Watching the two of them was like watching two tom cats measuring each other up. And the  _ look  _ on Regulus’ face as Harry stalked off. “You walked right into that one.” he patted Regulus on the back briefly. “Buck up, Reggie.”

“Oh,  _ shut _ it.” Regulus growled. “ I remember all of  _ your _ screw-ups.”

“You wouldn’t  _ dare _ ,” Tom hissed.

Regulus just grinned, then walked away, tossing over his shoulder “I remember where the guest rooms are, too. I’ll show myself up.”

Tom grumbled as Regulus headed up the main stairs. What had he gotten himself into? Perhaps he should have thought this plan out a bit better. Once the two nagas grew used to each other, they would surely gang up against him. 

And no, he wasn’t being paranoid.

Merely trying to prepare for the immediate future.  
~~~

Harry stalked off in an effort to control his temper.  
It wasn’t this… this… this  _ fops’ _ fault that Sirius was imprisoned in Azkaban unfairly.  It wasn’t his fault that an insane psycho  _ bitch _ killed Sirius.

And yet, Regulus didn’t seem in the least bit phased by his brothers’ death. 

And he was too touchy. Harry didn’t tolerate touch very well, especially unexpected touch. Perhaps it was his time spent with the Dursleys. Or even Mrs. Weasleys’ overbearing mothering.

Harry paused in the doorway of his room. Oh, who was he kidding? He simply didn’t like the man. Didn’t like how he seemed so familiar. Didn’t like how he seemed so  _ safe _ .

And he did. Seem safe, that is. Harry had just wanted to curl up around Regulus, and stay there.

And that just wasn’t  _ natural _ . He didn’t even feel that way about Tom.

It was odd.  Beyond odd. Terrifying, even.

~~~

Regulus dropped his pose as soon as he dropped onto the bed. How  _ terrible _ . Something about the nestling just made him a blundering fool. He didn’t do anything right in that meeting. Instead of greeting the nestling immediately, he immediately dismissed him. And then he didn’t bother explaing a thing. Something just made him assume that the nestling  _ knew _ .

Perhaps it was that he just wanted to wrap the boy up and keep him safe?

Bugger.

He knew why, now.

The boy was his. His mate. And he hated him.

And, oh. Tom was going to do more than crucio him. The moment Tom found out, his life would be worthless. Nagas may be possessive of those they consider their own, but Vampires were worse. Much worse.

 


	5. The snakes' tongue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to get this out sooner, sorry! I just managed to forget my laptop over the holidays. And then things got busy.

Harry tensed as the newcomer came into the kitchen. He couldn't help it. The man just rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps it was that he looked too much like Sirius. Perhaps it was their first meeting. Perhaps…

Oh, he didn’t know why. He just knew that there was _something_ about the man, and that not knowing what it was made him nervous.

“Is there any coffee?” asked the man – _Regulus_ – as he yawned.

Harry silently pointed to the counter where the coffee pot sat. After a _few_ hexes thrown when surprised, the house elf had learned to avoid the kitchen until his two masters were fully awake.

Regulus padded over and poured coffee into a conjured mug.

Harry watched him for a minute before speaking up, voice soft, as to avoid waking Tom up. He had found out the hard way that Tom was an unnaturally light sleeper. And he didn’t sleep much, anyway. “So, what are you doing here, anyways?”

“Here to teach you.” Regulus peered over the rim of the over sized mug, eyeing Harry. A bit cautiously, Harry thought. “You will be coming into a naga inheritance, an...”

“And you just _couldn’t_ leave me alone?” Harry nearly hissed in an effort to keep quiet. “Of course. Typical.”

Regulus blinked, and sat his coffee cup on the counter, before answering. “What do you mean by that?”

Harry laughed, a harsh, bitter thing. “I’m the _saviour_. No one wants me to be myself. I have to play certain roles, or else I’m useless.”

“What? No!” Regulus blurted, before moving to sit across from Harry. “No, Hadrian, no. You can be anything you want. I’m here to help you control your naga, not let it control you.”

~~~  
Regulus was downright shocked. Then he remembered the night before. One thing that Regulus Black couldn’t be called was stupid. Things were slowly starting to circle. As he moved to sit down, he softened his voice slightly. No need to appear aggressive. He waited quietly for the nestling to think. He would get an answer.

Finally, Hadrian spoke, after staring at him rather disconcertingly. “I… Why do you even care?”

That was a good question. And complicated. Regulus sighed. “Will you stay and listen?” if the nestling wasn’t willing to listen, then it wasn’t the right time.

Regulus saw Hadrian bite his lip – _adorable_ – and then Hadrian spoke. “If you will tell me the complete truth, I will.”

“I will always strive to tell you the truth, Had _rian_ .” and Regulus winced as he heard the way his last syllable started to change tone. Rian. Of course. Thank magic Hadrian knew nothing of the naga. The poor thing was confused enough without tossing in a mate nearly twice his age. Even if he _was_ a cute little thing. Regulus coughed. “I swear, nestling.” then he grinned, though he didn’t feel like it. “Your father would crucio me if I did anything else.”

“Would he?” Hadrian asked.

“Would I do what?” Just then, Tom strolled in, robes straight and hair combed. The only thing that betrayed him was the way he made a beeline to the coffee pot, and picked up the mug next to it.

The mug that Regulus had been drinking out of.

Regulus glanced at Hadrian, and they both burst out laughing.

~~~

Tom seethed under his breath quietly, drinking his coffee as the other two caught their breath. He wasn’t paranoid. It was already happening.

Soon enough they would be conspiring against him.

And Nagini too. Thank Merlin she was out hunting, currently. She and the older naga had always got along _quite_ well. It was just asking for trouble, letting them talk.

Then Tom looked back up, a sudden thought coming to him. He glanced between the two, sitting across from each other. No, now he was being ridiculous and paranoid. Regulus was twice the age of his son. And they didn’t even get along. Last night was proof of _that._

He hid a smile in his coffee. Yes, no. He wouldn’t have to worry about getting a certain Black as a son-in-law.

And if he did, well, that was what _avadra kedavra_ was for.

~~~

Harry sat cross-legged in front of the brook in his garden when he heard footsteps behind him. “I came here to be alone.” was all he said, without turning around.

“May I join you?” was the quiet response.

He whirled around, raising up to his knees in what could only be called a sinuous motion. He hadn’t expected it to be _Black._ “What do you want?”

Regulus sat down on the grass next to the brook, and ran his fingers through the water before speaking. “To listen, if you are willing. I don’t know you at all.”

Harry gaped at that. An adult, willing to listen? Even Tom had never made that offer. Did he dare? How could he trust the older man?

He sank back down, and looked at the grass. “I...”

**Little Master!** came the all too familiar hiss, before the large black mamba came up unto Harrys’ lap. **I caught you a prey thing. Surely you are starving?**

Harry shut his eyes with a sigh, not noticing the hiss of annoyance that came from Regulus. Nor the glare that he sent at the snake. **Thank you, Nagini. I appreciate it.** then he opened his eyes, and smiled at Regulus. **May I introduce you to my fathers’ guest?**

~~~

If he hadn’t known better, Regulus would have happily vanished the snake. Hadrian was about to open up, and then they _just_ had to interrupted.

But then Hadrian smiled at him, _smiled_ , and Regulus would have given anything to see that smile directed at him again.

**I already know the lovely lady Nagini.** Regulus rose up to his knees and bowed slightly. No need to get the snake annoyed with him. **Though I haven’t had the pleasure recently.**

Nagini slithered over to Regulus, releasing the rat that had been held in her tail into Harrys’ lap. **I remember you, nestling. Why did you leave us? I missed our conversations.**

Regulus hid a smirk as Hadrian tossed the rat off to the side when Nagini wasn’t looking. **Differences of opinion, Lady.** then he sighed, and stood up. **I’ll leave you and the nestling to your conversation.**

~~~

Harry blinked as Regulus stood up. Why was he leaving? “Black? You don’t have to leave.”

Regulus looked down at him with a slight smile. But Harry noticed a touch of… sadness? In his eyes? “I have business to attend to, Hadrian. I will see you at supper.”

Harry nodded, and waited until Regulus was out of hearing range to turn back to Nagini **Why did you do that?** he hissed venomously at the snake. **He had just sat down!**

He paused at that, caught off guard by the venom in his own voice. Why did he care?

Nagini just eyed him, and let out a hiss of laughter. **So I am right. Good. You two are my favorite nestlings.**

Harry blinked at the snake, pulling up a handful of grass absentmindedly. **What do you know, Nagini?**

She swished her tail in thought. **You really should figure it out, nestling.**

** _How?**_ hissed Harry. **I don’t have any idea about this Naga-thing, and you scared off the only person who can _tell_ me.**

Nagini moved to curl up in Harrys’ lap, her tail tucked around his ankle. **It is simple, little one. You two are mates. You can’t help but defend him, just as he will do anything in his power to make you happy and keep you safe.**

 


	6. Chapter 6

Harry stared at the snake for a long minute. Or two. How was he supposed to… to believe what she said? No. He shook his head slightly. Even if Nagas did have mates… No one would want him. He was only what others wanted to be. There was no way he could have a life. A life, with a mate, and nestli… nestlings? Where did _that_ thought come from? There was no w…

There was a sharp pain to his finger, and he was brought out of his thoughts. **Bloody hell, Nagini. Why did you bite me?**

The snake whipped her tail about in ire. **You were being an idiot, I could tell.**

**You can’t be right about Regulus.**

**Why not?** Nagini  back to the ground, but stayed near Harry. **You share the same scent.** her tongue flickered out. **I have known other Nagas, young one. Your sire was not my first master, nor will he be the last.**

Harry sighed. **You can’t be right.**

**Why?** asked Nagini, before slithering away. **Why can’t I?**

After the snake left, Harry fell back to stare up at the sky, lost in his thoughts.

~ ~~

Tom looked up from his papers as he felt Nagini slither up the chair, using his legs for a ladder as she usually did. **Have a good hunt?**

**I did.** Nagini hissed, somehow managing to look pleased with herself. **You didn’t say you were expecting the polite black one.**

**I didn’t wish to disappoint.** Tom smoothly replied, **He is so unpredictable.**

Nagini hissed at that, and swatted Toms’ arm with her tail. **Behave. Did you know they were mates?**

Tom choked at that. “What? What did you say?”

**Parsel.** the snake stared at him disapprovingly. **You know I can’t understand that gibberish.**

He took a deep breath. Surely he had misheard that last. Sometimes the intricacies of Parsel escaped him. Came with being taught it by rote, and not knowing it as Nagas did.

**Please repeat that?** he hissed, gritting his teeth.

Nagini wrapped her tail around his dominant wrist, but did repeat herself. **The polite black one, and your nestling are mates.**

~~~

Regulus ducked out of the room faster than he walked in – and just in time. There was a burn mark on the wall behind him in the shape of the bright green burst that narrowly missed him.

He took a second to catch his breath before moving, but only a second. He could all too clearly hear the hiss of an irate vampire.

~~~

Supper that night was tense. Part of it was because of the angry snake sitting in the middle of the table, wrapped around three wands.

After the first avadra kedavra, Nagini had claimed Toms’ wand. Forcibly. She didn’t want the polite one to die – he was the only one who called her ‘lady’. And her little nestling would have been sad if his mate had died… Then again, she wanted new nestlings too, so she was being entirely selfish.

Then, at Toms’ protests over being the only one without a wand, Nagini had happily taken the other two. After all, there was no need for the silly sticks, anyway. Her people were powerful enough that they only _thought_ they needed them. Her little nestling had given his to her without much fuss, good nestling. Now, the polite one, he hadn’t wanted to give his up. Not at all. Nagini had ended up stealing it while he was otherwise occupied. Not her fault he decided to wash in the rain stall before the evening meal.

Nagini was delightfully unconcerned with the glares directed at her from the two older men in the room. Not only did she simply not care, the large rodents cast warming charms over the table on a regular basis, to keep food warm. And, as she had found out with her first wizard, warming charms were just _lovely_.

~~~

Harry bit his bottom lip, before glancing between the other two. He didn’t know what had occurred while he was lazing about in the garden, but he didn’t like it. He hadn’t thought much of Naginis’ rather _odd_ request for his ‘silly stick’, but now he understood it.

Whatever _had_ happened, Tom was glaring at Regulus like he wanted to Adavra Kedavra him. And Regulus was very carefully not looking up from his plate.

“Um.” Harry coughed to clear his throat, looking at his father. “When can we go to Diagon?”

“What?” Toms’ head turned to look at Harry. “Why on earth would we go _there_ , of all places?”

Harry felt his eyes widen at Toms’ obvious surprise. “Hogwarts supplies, of course. I’m sure Flourish & Botts has a supply list by now.”

Regulus choked on the sip of water he had taken. “What? You _can’t_ go to Hogwarts.”

“Excuse me?” Harry half stood, and turned towards Regulus, his voice going dangerously sweet. “Are you telling me what to do?”

~~~

Much as he enjoyed the thought of the reptile getting in trouble with Harry, Tom knew he had to step in. “You aren’t going to Hogwarts.”

He winced when Harry turned towards him, voice starting to carry a hissing quality. “Why not, _dearest_ father of mine?”

“I don’t trust the old coot around you. It is too dangerous, Harry.” And as soon as he saw the expression on Harrys’ face, he knew he had made the wrong move.

“ _Oh,_ really?” Harrys’ face closed down. “Fine.”

And Tom could just watch as Harry stood up and stalked out of the room.

Nagini hissed slightly, and followed after him, leaving two of the wands on the table.

Tom looked at Regulus sharply. “Well?”

~~~

It seemed like an hour to Regulus, but really, the entire exchange had just taken a few seconds.

And it _hurt_.

He wanted to give his mate everything. The old coot dangerous? He would bite him in his sleep.

But he knew that wasn’t feasible.

Not yet.

But Tom was really the best protection for Hadrian – after all, he _was_ his father. That made a certain decision easier.

He stared evenly at the Dark Lord. “You know best, Lord. Perhaps it could have been handled better?”

Tom snorted, the tension finally breaking. “Like you were any better.” then he straightened up, and Regulus didn’t like the gleam that came into his eyes. “And _you_ are his mate, after all.”

Regulus winced. _That_ explained the hexes all day. He bowed his head. “I couldn’t help it, My Lord. You know that as well as I do.”

Better to play safe than to be dead.

~~~

Tom smirked at the formality coming from Regulus. Perfect.

“Oh, I do.” he hid the smirk as Regulus looked back up. No need to go easy on the idiot. “And so _you_ can explain to him just why he can’t go to Hogwarts.”

And it was hard to not laugh at the disgruntled face of Regulus. And the (poorly!) hidden sigh. “Yes, Lord.”

As Regulus left the room, scooping up his wand, Tom leaned back in his chair, and thought.

Oh, Harry would be so _pissed_ if he ever found out about the mail ward. But the first month or so was crucial. Dumbledore could have his minions write any sort of lies.

~~~

Harry stared out the window of his room, thinking of his friends... Or, rather, his ex-friends. Even those of his friends who didn’t betray him would surely turn their backs on him once they found out the truth. Bloody Hell, he wouldn’t even _blame_ them. This wouldn’t have been his first choice, either.

He jumped as Hedwig tapped on the window. Who... Who would have written to him? There hadn’t been anything yet. Quickly, he opened the window, and retrieved the letter, ignoring the disgruntled hissed mutterings of Nagini. Looking at the parchment, he half-smiled. The twins. They made everything better.

~~~

“What is that?”

Harry whirled around at the familiar, and annoyingly comforting, voice. Keeping his own void of any emotions, he replied. "Black. Merely a letter. None of your concern."

Regulus sighed, eyes glinting with an unnameable emotion. "Hadrian. I know you are annoyed with Tom and I. Would you please tell me? It shouldn't have been able to get through the wards to you." Then, almost to himself, "Tom has all the others."

Harry caught the last words. “What others? My mail?”

Regulus held up his hands, placatingly. "Mostly Howlers, Hadrian."

“MOSTLY? Do you mean to tell me you have been keeping my mail?”

“The dark lord has. He was worried about hexes and curses.” Regulus slowly backed towards the door, recognizing the rather obvious signs of rising temper – Hadrian was even exhibiting the slitted eyes of a Naga. And he didn’t want to handle a premature inheritance, not over mail, of all things.

“Out!” Harry hissed, not quite slipping into Parsel. “I don’t want to see _either_ of you!”

Regulus slipped out without a further word, not willing to risk the temper.

~~~

' _Harry, Brother dearest._ _Where are you? We miss our first investor. The old bee is stirring up the flaming chickens, looking for you._ _Remember, we are_ _yours_ _, no matter what. If you need us, this letter is a portkey. Merely say_ _‘Chicken Salad Flambe’_ _to activate it.'_

Harry considered telling his father, but shook his head. No. Nothing would hurt him. Nothing would be a part of the ‘Dark Lords’' business. There was no reason to say a thing. Throwing a cloak over his shoulders, Harry picked up both his wand and the letter, saying the activation phrase.

As he landed, Harry fell to his knees, only to be helped up by two pairs of hands.

“C’mon, Harry-boy. We need you up.”

“I don’t know, Forge. He is rather cute on his knees.”

Harry grinned, pushing the hands away. Standing up, he replied “Oh, stop it. You just want to see me blush.”

Both of the red-headed siblings leered at him. “Of course, love.” One said, before both fell into gales of laughter.

Harry joined them, before sobering up. “Seriously, guys. Enough with the fooling around. I have... news for you.”

~~~

Harry hummed happily as he portkeyed back to his room. The twins were just as understanding as he could have wished. Of everything. Not… _happy_ , but they had grown up with even more reason to hate the dark side. And they promised to stay in touch with Harry, and slow Dumbledore as much as they could.

“Where have you been?”

“Why do you care?” Harry tossed back, wincing as soon as he saw the look on Toms’ face.

Tom stared at Harry for a long minute. “Because you are my son? Because you are under my protection? Because, brat that you are, I’m growing to like you, Salazar have mercy.”

Harry sighed, and plopped down to lay on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling. “Then why have you been keeping my mail from me?”

He felt the bed dip as Tom sat down on the edge of the bed next to him.

“Because all of it are pleas from your friends to come back – and all are obviously worded by Dumbledore. It wasn’t anything you needed to worry about.”

Harry pulled his pillow put from under his head to cover his face, only to toss it off the side of the bed after a minute. “Shouldn’t that have been my choice to decide?” he asked, rather mildly, he thought. “I would rather know than not.”

Tom didn’t say anything, so Harry continued on a tangent, while he had his father silenced. “And I am going back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore seems to think I’m having a “rebellious phase”, according to the twins. Wouldn’t it be safer to play to him, rather than let him think I’ve gone dark?”

“Have you?”

“Have I what?” Harry thought he knew what Tom was getting at, but he wanted to be sure.

“Have you ‘went dark’, as you so _eloquently_ put it?”

Harry sat up, and crossed his legs. “No.” at the frown that flashed over Toms’ face, he continued. “But I am, aren’t I? Its’ another thing I don’t have a choice in. My father is dark, I’m a ‘dark’ creature, and...” Harry trailed off. “You know!” he gasped, finally understanding the tension over dinner. “And you didn’t warn me?”

~~~

Tom growled deep in the back of his throat at the unnecessary reminder, but held his hands up placatingly. No need to rile up Harry when he was finally calming down. “I didn’t, not until today when Nagini so helpfully pointed it out.”

“Well, if I’m at Hogwarts, I’m away from him.” Harry pointed out.

Tom was about to deny the correlation between topics, when the words sank in. Yes. Yes, his son was brilliant. “Fine.” he hid a smirk. “ _If_ you take Nagini.”

“And you think Dumbledore won’t recognize her?” Harry asked increduously, “He isn’t _completely_ senile yet.”

“No, he won’t.” Tom did smirk. So, the boy didn’t know everything yet. “Not if Nagini shrinks, and I have Regulus apply a slight glamour.”

Harry grumbled at that, and Tom knew exactly why. But if his son wanted to go to Hogwarts, then he was taking the over-protective mother hen snake along with him.

And that was final.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry hid a smirk as he listened to Naginis’ complaints with one ear and stared out the window of the Hogwarts express.

The past month had been a blur. And rather confusing. Harry was pissed at Regulus, he really was. Or so he told himself. In reality, he was just confused. And more than a bit scared, in all honesty.

Admittedly, his… _father_ hadn’t helped matters. Harry had did his best to avoid Regulus – but Tom had turned it into an art form. Anytime Regulus happened to walk into the same room as Tom and Harry, Tom would quickly usher Harry out. Or even toss a portkey at him. And it seemed that every time Harry saw the two older men in a room together, Tom was glowering a death glare at Regulus – if not outright hexing him. There had even been a few flashes of bright green that Harry did his best to ignore.

But Harry wasn’t blameless, not by any means. He would freely admit to having escaped to his garden more than once over the past weeks. In fact, he hadn’t spoken to Regulus even once since the night of the Hogwarts agreement.   
Harry was shaken from his thoughts when the door slid open, Hermione slipping through them before closing them behind her.

He raised an eyebrow at the look on her face. “Where is Ron?”

Hermione huffed, slinging her bag to the bench opposite Harry, before sitting down. “He is being an absolute prat as usual.” She shook her head as she gathered her hair up in a ponytail. “He saw me kissing a boy outside of the station, and threw an absolute tantrum. I finally hexed him once we got through the barrier.”

Harry looked at her again, surprised at her attitude. “A boy?” he teased gently, as much to test her than anything else. “Is it someone I know?”

She shook her head. “No, just a… muggle I met over the summer.” Then it was her turn to glance at Harry. And her voice had an odd tone to it. “Harry, is that a snake?”

“Yeah.” Harry looked down to where Nagini had her head out of his sleeve. “Found her in the garden.”

Hermione blinked slightly. “Well, that’s nice.” Then she leaned forward, and stared at Harry. “Did you get my letters?”

Harry shook his head. “Only the ones from you and Ron.”

“Oh, Harry.” Hermione sighed. “I didn’t see Ron at all this summer. We spent the first half in America. And the rest was here at home.”

Harry’s shoulders released some tension, and he relaxed, grinning at Hermione. “Good. So, what did you write?”

The brunette looked down, and fiddled with one of her buttons before answering. “Dumbledore wrote that he thought you were turning dark. I thought I’d warn you.”

“And if I am?” Harry asked gently. 

“I would like to know so I can help you, Harry.” Hermione looked up “You shouldn’t be alone.”

Harry gaped for a minute, having fully expected the opposite attitude from Hermione. “Why?” he asked, rather bluntly. “You’ve changed, Hermione.”

Hermione huffed again, a sharp breath of air. “Of course I have. Stop being a idiot” then she shook her head, abruptly changing the subject. “Did you finish the potions essay?”  
~~~  
Hogwarts had trouble keeping professors. One professor in general, the DADA spot. Which was why none of the staff were particularly surprised when Albus Dumbledore introduced a new face the morning before the welcoming feast. They were a bit surprised at who it was.

“Regulus?” Minerva asked in disbelief. “But you were dead. The goblins said so.”

“Afraid not, professor.” Regulus replied, an apologetic smile on his face. “I was just tired of politics.”

“Well, well, well.” Severus sneered, “And now you are using Hogwarts to hide?”

Regulus bit back a hiss. “You would know, wouldn’t you, Snivellous?”

“Now, boys.” Albus interrupted, missing the glare both Slytherins sent his way. “We have so little time, and much to discus. Shall we begin?”  
~~~  
Tom frowned, looking around as he apparated back into the manor. _Where_ was Black? He had gotten used to lobbing curses at the useless reptile. “Trista!” he called, stalking to his study.

The household blinked in just as Tom sat down in his desk. “What can Triste be doing for Master Tom?” she asked.

“Where is that miserable idiot Black?” he snarled, irritation getting the best of him. “We need to have a conversation.”

Triste propped her hands on her hips, and tsked. “The Black Naga left just a little ago. He had Triste pack for him as soon as Master Tom took Little Master to the station.”

Tom blinked. And blinked again. Then he heard the sound of wood crunching. He looked down to see that he had dug his fingers into the side of his desk without realizing the force he was using. He took a deep breath, unfurling his fingers and placing them in his lap. “Thank you, Triste. That will be all.”

He paid no attention to the elf as she left the room, lost in thought. Surely he was over reacting. There was no conceivable way that…

Tom pulled out one of his drawers, rummaging through for a quill and parchment.  
~~~  
He tripped over his own feet and came to a stop as they entered the great hall, causing Hermione to run into him. What was that _fool_ doing here of all places?

Not that he cared. Regulus Black could avadra kedavra himself for all he cared.

Hermione poked him in the back, rather irritably. “Keep moving!” she hissed under her breath. “We don’t want Ron to catch up to us, do we?”

Harry shook his head in answer, and started moving to the Gryffindor table, careful to not look at Regulus.

They ate the meal mostly in silence, ignoring the glares from Ron at the end of the table where he was sandwiched between two first years.

Just as Dumbledore stood up to release them, an inky black owl flew in, a smoking red envelope clutched in its’ talons.  
Harry blanched, recognizing the owl. When he saw where it was going, he relaxed. So, Daddy dearest didn’t know of Regulus’ plan? Good.

Then the howler exploded, just as it reached the head table.

**REGULUS BLACK, YOU MISERABLE SNAKE OF A WIZARD! HOW DARE YOU SNEAK AWAY LIKE THAT, AND TO HOGWARTS, OF ALL PLACES? IF YOU TOUCH ONE HAIR ON MY SONS’ HEAD, YOU WON’T LIVE TO REGRET IT. DO NOT TEST ME.**

Harry was too busy smirking at Regulus to notice the searching look Hermione sent him.  
~~~  
Regulus eagerly watched the students come in, waiting for Hadrian to notice him. He hid a laugh as their eyes met and Harry froze. Then he was drawn into conversation by Trelawney next to him, and he didn’t have a quiet moment until Dumbledore stood up. His eyes drifted over to Hadrian just in time to see the nestling pale sheet white. Then he looked up, and he saw the howler just as it exploded in his face.

When it was done he stood up without waiting, and stalked out of the great hall, ignoring the laughter of the children behind him.

He shouldn’t have expected anything else. But the last time he received a howler was at Hogwarts when he failed to write his mother.  
~~~  
On the way to the Tower, Hermione pulled Harry aside into an empty classroom, casting locking and silencing charms on the door behind them.

“So?” she asked, conjuring a poof to sit on. “Are you going to tell me what happened to you this summer?”

Harry sank to the floor in front of her, crossing his legs under him. “Can I trust you?” he asked, seriously. “This cannot get told to anyone else.”

“It wasn’t a muggle I was kissing.” Hermione said, rather abruptly. “I just confounded Ron to think so. We were already on the platform.” She sighed. “He was a wizard I met in America. Half veela, with an active inheritance.”

Harry blinked. “An active inheritance? Are…” he trailed off, unsure of how to ask the question he wanted to ask.

Hermione smiled at him, face going soft with memories. “Yes, Harry. He imprinted on me, I’m his mate.”

“And he let you come to Hogwarts?” Harry blurted, shocked. 

She nodded. “Not without a fight.” Hermione laughed. “But he is in his last year at Salem high, and I didn’t want to transfer. He’ll portkey up on Hogsmead weekends, and I’ll go visit on breaks.”

She looked at Harry sternly. “Enough about me. What about you?”

Harry hesitated, but sighed. “I’m not a Potter, not really. My father... Well, he isn’t light, Hermione.”

Hermione shrugged. “Neither is Andy. America is more relaxed on magic types. The only evil magic is magic done with the intent to harm. And English Wizards see Veelas as dark.”

“Heislordvoldemort.” Harry blurted out. 

Hermione blinked as she parsed that into a sentence, then blew out a breath. “Well. You don’t do anything half-arsed, so I shouldn’t be surprised. Is there anything else I should know?”

“Not really.” Harry shrugged. “Just.. Thank you for being a friend.”

“Ron?”

And that was all she had to say. Harry knew what she was asking. “No.” Harry replied with a shake of his head. “He would never understand.”

Hernione sighed. “No. He would go straight to the Order.”  
~~~  
“Hey, Mate.”

Harry couldn’t help but wince at that word, especially coming from Rons’ big mouth. But he forced a grin on his face. “Yes, Ron?” he asked, turning over in bed to face the red head. 

“Why did you never answer my letters?” Ron asked. “Dumbledore was worried about you.”

“Weren’t you?”

“Oh, of course not.” Ron beamed at him. “I figured your uncle wasn’t letting Hedwig out.”

Harry gritted teeth, glad for the cover of darkness. Had Ron always been this… _dull_? “Yes, Ron. That’s why Dumbledore couldn’t find me.”

Ron rolled over to face the wall with a mumbled “Oh, that’s good.”

Nearly as soon as he did, he started to snore.

Harry rolled onto his back with a groan, covering his head with his pillow.

 


	8. New beginings

The next day was hardly any better, by Harrys’ way of thinking. Not only was it a full day of class, they also had DADA first thing in the morning. Even breakfast was a miserable experience, with Ron glaring at the both of them – Harry and Hermione had purposefully sat on the end with the first years, ostensibly to give directions to their first class – and Regulus Black constantly staring at Harry.

Finally, finally, it was DADA. Harry and Hermione dragged their feet, making sure the firsties got to class on time.

Even with that, they were only two minutes late for class. And all they got was a searching glance from Regulus, and a quiet “Thank you for making it.”

They sat near the back, scandalously close to the Slytherin side, which got them more than a few odd glances.

After they were settled, Regulus spoke up. “Welcome, to Defense Against the Dark Arts.” he paused, as Hermiones’ hand went up, something suspiciously close to an evil grin on her face. “Yes, Miss Granger?” he asked, dreading the question.

“Professor, is it entirely _proper_ for you to be teaching this class? I mean...” and Hermione trailed off with an uncharacteristic twitter of laughter, glancing around the classroom. “Aren’t you a _Black??_ ”

Regulus sighed, seeing the smirk Harry had on his face. So this was how it was going to be? “Miss Granger.” he said firmly. “I believe you know the answer to that question, as you were acquainted with my brother.”

“Still.” she stressed, voice dripping with undisguised venom. “You  _are_ the heir...” Hermione paused, glancing over to Harry, before gasping insincerely. “Oh, my apologies. You are the  _son_ of a traditionally dark family. How can we be certain that you aren’t teaching us to stray from the  _light_ ?” The last was said in a tone dripping with sweetness.

Regulus had to give her credit. She was playing the act far better than a Gryffindor had the right too – even the Slytherins were looking impressed. But, he couldn’t let her know  _that_ . So he sniffed arrogantly, calling on every bit of training he had on how to be a pompous arse. “I wouldn’t touch the Black title with the horn of a unicorn, Miss Granger. Mr. Potter is welcome to the title and the curses of the family. May they bring him more luck than they brought me.” and the last was sincere, he couldn’t help it. Hadrian needed all the help that the prestige of the Black title could afford him, even with being the son of Voldemort. “Now,” he continued, staring at the chit of a girl. “May we begin class,  _your highness_ ?”

Hermione blushed, but sat down with a nod.

Regulus managed to get halfway through the lesson when he was interrupted again, this time by Hadrian. He cast a wounded look at the boy as he raised his hand. “Yes, Mr. Potter?”

“I was wondering, Sir,” and Harry glanced down at his feet, with a rather demure look. “Weren’t you dead? My god...godfather believed so.”

Regulus wanted to bash his brains out against the desk.  _Why_ him? And  _how_ on earth did the brat pull off such an innocent look? “I was, for all intents and purposes, Mr. Potter. I barely escaped the clutches of the dark lord, and only survived due to a family who found me awash on the shores of France.” He winced as soon as the words were out of his mouth.  _Dark Lord?_ Only  _certain_ people called him that.

And Harry capitalized on that. With a gasp, he looked up, and fixed Regulus with a glare, shoulders shaking with what Regulus would have called anger if he hadn’t known the brat was playing. “Sir!” he almost shouted,  tone saturated with venom . “How can you call that, that, that  _monster_ by that title? Only his followers call him the  _dark lord_ , none other would.”

“A force of habit.” Regulus ground out, teeth clenched, and fingers itching to hex the boy. Mate or no, the brat deserved a good spanking. “Surely you an understand my reluctance to even  _talk_ about the monster that destroyed my life?”

And Regulus sighed with relief as he glanced at the clock. “Class dismissed. I expect none of these silly questions next time we meet.”

And the class filed out, Hermione and Harry laughing quietly to each other.

~~~

Hermione and Harry snuck into the room of requirement, muffling their laughter until  they shut the door behind them. Then they tumbled onto the poofs, gasping for breath.

“Oh, Harry.” Hermione smirked, as soon as she caught her breath. “That was absolutely  _priceless!_ How on earth did you manage such venom? Even I thought you hated him.”

“I do.” Harry muttered, suddenly dead sober. “I do, Hermione.”

“Why?” Hermione asked with a blink, leaning forward in interest at the sudden news. “Do you know him?”

“Know him?” Harry laughed bitterly. “Hermione, he is my damn  _mate_ .”

Hermione cocked her head, curious. “So, what is he, then. And  _why_ do you hate him? I would think you would be estatic at the chance for unconditional love?”

“Hah.” Harry coughed out, leaning back on the poof to stare at the ceiling. “Unconditional love? More like absolute servitude. Hermione, he was keeping my  _mail_ from me.”

“Wasn’t it your father doing  _that_ ?” Hermione pointed out, with a cool calculation. There had to be an underlying r oot to this nonsense. For as long as she had known him, Harry had wanted a family, a real family. “Why don’t you like him, really.”

Harry let out a long sigh. He had never been able to keep secrets from Hermione, and, in truth, he didn’t want to. “I just… Hermione, I’m broken. A tool. Once I’m not useful, who am I? And he doesn’t  _really_ want me. His Naga has decided that my Naga belongs to him. Thats’ all. Its’ not like he loves me or anything.”

And Harry rolled over, refusing to see the look of pity he expected.

Instead, what he got was a good swat to the back of his head by Hermione, before she gave him a hug. “Oh, Harry. What have they done to you?”

Harry rolled over, to see a look of disgust in Hermiones eyes as she glared across the room. She looked for all the world like a mother lioness protecting her pride.  Harry just looked her her , confused at her reaction. What did she mean?

Hermione looked down at him with a sad smile. “Oh, Harry. You have it all wrong.” She shook her head. “Everything. Did no one explain mates to you?” then she frowned. “Your naga? Oh. You have the inheritance?”  
Harry bit his lip. “Not yet, but I will. Mum was a naga, apparently. Or something. Voldemort is a vampire.”

“So, no. You didn’t.” Hermione shook her head. “Well...” she paused, uncertain over something. 

“Yes?” Harry asked.

Hermione sighed. “I can’t – no, I  _shouldn’t_ tell you. Harry, you  _must_ talk to Regulus, give him a chance.”

“But why?” Harry pleaded, “’Mione,  _please_ . I can’t trust that bastard.”

Hermione laughed at that, a laugh that burst unwillingly from her throat. “You can.” she murmured softly. “Nagas can’t lie to their mates. I envy you  _that_ .”

“ Hermione?” Harry asked, worried at her tone of voice. “Are you okay?”

“Harrry, I’m fine.” Her eyes softened. “Nothing important. But you really do need to talk to Regulus.” she glanced at her watch. “You could go now. We have a free period, and he doesn’t have a class.”

“How...”

Hermione interrupted him. “Because I know the schedules of the teachers. Don’t you?”

Harry laughed at that, then sighed. “If you insist, I will. For you.”

“No, Harry.” Hermione stood up, pulling him after her. “For  _you.”_

_~~~_

Regulus looked up from his lesson plans at the knock on his door. “Come in!” he called, fully expecting it to be one of the teachers. He was sure that the disaster his first class had been was spread all over the school by now.

So he was rightly surprised when it was a subdued Hadrian that came through the door. His Naga rose up at the scent of tears over his nestling. “Hadrian, l… Are you alright?”

Harry looked up at the tone of voice. “Why do you  _care_ ?” he spat out. “You were just trying to get me to like you so you could use me, like everyone else.”

“No, Rian.” and Regulus flinched at that. Then he sighed, no use trying to hide it. Hadrian knew they were mates, after all. “I want to  _know_ you. All of you. I want to take care of you, and protect you, and give you everything you want.”

“Why?” Harry repeated.

And Regulus could have killed someone for the tone of despair in that one word. “Because, Rian. You are the only one my creature, my Naga will be happy with.” he shook his head, conjuring a chair next to his desk for Hadrian. “Do you know why we are so rare? Because we simply  _can’t_ settle with anyone other than our perfect match.” Regulus looked down, ashamed at the next bit, but unable to lie. “I tried.” he bit out. “There was this muggle. It didn’t end well.”

Harry cocked his head at that. “So it doesn’t have anything to do with love? It is all fate?”

“Oh, no.” Regulus shook his head. “It is more than that. It is  _Magic_ , Rian.” Regulus stressed the word. “ _Magic_ herself, all-seeing that she is.  Aren’t you attracted to me, even the least bit?”

“I...” Harry tried to deny it, but found that he couldn’t. “You are… safety. Home. I feel like I could tell you anything, and I  _hate_ it. I shouldn’t trust a complete stranger.”

“Will you give me a chance?” Regulus asked, softly. “Let me teach you about our inheritances, Rian.  _Please._ ”

Harry bit his lip, but then nodded. “Alright. I will try.” then he frowned, finally noticing something. “Why are you calling me ‘Rian?”

Regulus blushed, an actual blush. Bugger. He hadn’t wanted to reveal just  _how_ infatuated he was with this strong little bundle of anger and hurt that was his mate. “Rian. I… It is a part of being a Naga. Everyone calls you Harry. Your father calls you Hadrian. But me?” and the last was nearly a whisper, before his voice strengthened. “I  _need_ something to call you just for myself.”

It was Harrys’ turn to blush, and he got up and walked out of the room without any further words, only one last thoughtful glance at Regulus.


End file.
